Depositor



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,845

V R. s. HISLOP DEPOSITOR Filed April 3, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. S. HISLOP De zs, 192s.

DEPOSITOR Filed April 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (3&5? 3 by MQQbfiZFQQDl .ATT R Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED I STATES.

1,696,845 PATENT OFFICE- Rosana s. nrsLor; or BJA'CINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR To anem a ooivrEo'rronns MACHINERY oraAcINE, WISCONSIN, A conrormr'IoN or w'rsooNs'rN.

DEPOSITOR.

Application filed April 3, 1925. Serial No; 20,523;

My present invention has for itsobject an mprovement in machines commonly known as chocolate depositors which are employed in the manufacture of chocolates and other forms of candy articles which'ar'e made from plastic material by its'ejection through nozzles or orifices; The machine embodying my invention is preferably, althoughnot necessarily, of the general type shown and I described inthe patent to'De'merath No. 7 91',-

611, June 6, 1905;

A particular object of the invention is to provide in a machine of this characterimproved ejecting or depositing mechai'nsm the measuring elements of which can be quickly axnde convenientlremoved from the machine and replaced. y other measuring elements ada ted to measure and deposit articles of" di erent sizes. It will be understood that in the'past, in: order. to measure and deposit, for example, chocolate buds ior drops and also long chocolate bars,- it' was necessary to have different deposlting, machines for' each article; This was due to the fact that themeasuring. and I depositing elements of the machine could not be readily removed andreplazced b other elements adapted to measure and eposit art1cles of different volume and-length. My present 1nvention eliminates this necessity of having different machines by providing in the depositing mechanism removable valve ele ments as well as removable ejector plates which carry the depositing nozzles. Separate valve elements and corresponding nozzle' plates for articles of difl er'ent sizes may he obtained and readily introduced: into the machine's'o that it will. deposit a variety of different sizea'rticles.

Fig; 1' is a fragmentary view partly insection of my improved measuring and: de-' positing mechanism. a v

Fig. 2*is a transverse sectional view of the said mechanism also showingthe part of the casing which is cutaway in Fig. 1;-

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of my im roved removable nipple or de w ositing p are.

The foregoing and othelobjects of the in- 'vention', together with means whereby the Fig. 4' is a fragmentaryperspective view of a removable sleeve of the valve mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig.6 is a similar view of the plunger carrying shaft used within the sleeve of the valve mechanism shown in Figs; 1' and 2.-

Fig. 6 is a. viewof a valve mechanism and nipple plate which can' be substituted for the valvemechani'sm and nipple plate shown in F ig.. 1, the mechanism shown being used for depositingarticles ofgreater size and length. 7 1

Fig. 7 is asimilar viewof a valve mechanism and nipple plate for depositing articles of still greater size and length;

Fig. 8 isa fragmentary perspective view' of the type of nipple or depositor plate used with the valve mechanisms shown in. Figs. 6 and 7 in whichthere are elongated openings to correspond with the size of the valve mechanisms. A v y i The valve mechanism comprising the pres ent invention isadapted. tobeused in machines of the character shownin the Demerath= patent in which there is a hopper or reservoir similar to; that shown at 11 in, Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. The melted chocolate or other semidiquid material which is to be deposited is placedinithe reservoir and passes into the depositing mechanism through the outlet inthe bottom of the reservoir. This outlet is through a valve casing 12 at the bottom [of the reservoir. The casing 12 contains a valve which is adapted to control the passage of the materialfin the reservoir through the casing and deposit the same through the nozzles 13 on to asuitable receiver or conveyor, indicated generally at At g As shown. in Figs. 1 and 2 the valve comprises an oscillating sleeve 1 fitted to the interior of the casing 12' and formed with one or more recesses 15, corresponding in number and arrangement to the nozzles 13 on a plate 19, said recesses being adapted as the sleeve is oscillated to communicate with the bottom of the reservoir 11 or with the nozzles 13: Journalled in the sleeve 14 is an oscillating shaft 16; having" one or more radial plungers 17 operating in the recesses 15 in the sleeve 14. The plungers. 17, as herein shown, comprise blades or ribs seated in grooves in the shaft 16 and secured in placeby any convenientmeans'such as the screws 18. The nozzles 13 carried on casing so as to communicate with all of the,

the removable plate 19 which is detachably secured to the under side of the casing 12. The plate 19 as clearly appears from Fig. 3 is provided with a raised portion or rib 20 extending from one face of the plate throughout substantially its entire length. The said rib 2O enters and closes a single discharge opening or slot provided in the lower side of the casing 12 which opening extends substantially the full length of the recesses 15 irrespective of the number, size, and arrangement of the latter in the particular valve employed. The upper side 21 of the rib 20 is a concave'surface to match the periphery of the cylindrical. sleeve 14. Openings 22 of a number, arrangement, and capacity to correspond with the recesses 15 in the sleeve 14L are provided through the plate 19 and the rib 20, the construction being such that the several openings 22 will receive the material from the several recesses 15 respectively, said material passing through the said openings and the nipples 13 on to the said carrier. In operation the sleeve 14 is oscillated to direct the recesses 15 alternately into communication with the reservoir 11 and the nozzles 13. The shaft 16 is also periodically oscillated to cause relative movement of the plungers 17 in said recesses between the end walls of the latter whereby measured quantities of plastic material such, for example, as to form the chocolate buds shown. in Figs. 1 and 2, are alternately drawn from the reservoir into the recesses 15 and then expelled from the latter through the openings 22 in the plate 19 and the nozzles 13.

Asalready stated, it has been necessary in the past to provide a separate machine for each different size article which is to be deposited. To overcome this diliiculty the casing 12 as herein shown is constructed to permit the ready introduction of valve mechanisms and nozzle plates of different capacities, such for example as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 which is adapted to deposit candy drops or articles such as chocolate buds, as well as the valve mechanisms shown in Figs. 6 and 7 which deposit articles such as chocolate bars of varying size and length. The removable valve elements are inserted and removed from the casing 12 through one end thereof. The nozzle plates 19 are detachably fastened to the bottom of the casing 12 in any convenient manner such as by the screws 23. As already described and shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the valvemechanism suitable for depositing candy drops such as chocolate buds is provided with round openings 22 and similar nozzles, there being an opening and nozzle for each of the re cesses in the valve "sleeve.v In Fig- 6 is shown valve mechanism suitable for use in depositing larger quantities of material,

as into molds B, the plungers 17 on the shaft 16 and the recesses 15 in the sleeve 1ebeing of correspondingly larger size and capacity, but said parts being other wise adapted for reception in the valve casing 12. The nozzle or depositor plate 19 which is adapted for use with this valve mechanism is of the type shown in Fig. 8 in which the rib 20 is cut away to provide the elongated openings 22 which correspond in size to the recesses in the sleeve 14, said plate being otherwise adapted for attachment to the valve casing in substitution for the plate 19. The mechanism shown in Fig. 7 is designed to deposit still larger quantities of material, as in the production of chocolate bars, the recesses 15 in the sleeve 14 the plungers 17 on the shaft 16 and the openings 22 in the plate 19 being correspondingly enlarged, but the construction being otherwise substantially identical with that shown in Fig. 6.

The above described construction of valve casing and the removable valve mechanisms andnozzle or depositor plates permit the machine to be readily converted from use for making one type of article to a machine for making an article of entirely difierent size and shape.

WhatIclaim is: I

1. In a depositor for plastic material having a reservoir for the material, valve mechanism comprising a valve casing communicating with said reservoir, 2. removable valve in said casing comprising a sleeve having a plurality of spaced recesses therein to receive measured quantities of the material from said reservoir, a shaft within the cylindrical sleeve, a plurality of radial plungers on said shaft one for each recess in the cylindrical sleeve, said casing having a slot extending substantially the full length thereof, and a removable plate having a rib filling the slot in said casing, and nozzle openings through said plate and rib for each of said sleeve recesses.

2. In a depositor for plastic material having a reservoir for the material, valve mechanism comprising a valve casing communicating with said reservoir, a removable measuring valve in said casing having a plurality of recesses therein to receive measured quantities of the material, said. casing having a single discharge opening communicating with all of said recesses, and a plate removably secured to said casing, said plate having a projecting rib fill ing the discharge opening in said casing and itself provided with a plurality of discharge openings corresponding in number, arrangement, and capacity to the recesses in said valve.

3. In a depositor for plastic material having a reservoir for the material, valve mechanism comprisin a valve casing communicating with sai reservoir, a removable measuring valve in said casing having a plurality of recesses therein to receive measured quantities of the material, said casing having a single discharge opening communicating with all of said recesses, and a plate removably secured to said casing,

said plate having a portion closing the discharge opening in said casing and itself provided with a plurality of discharge openings corresponding in number, arrangement, and capacity to the recesses in said valve.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT S. HISLOP. 

